The lifesaving role of ambulance services during childbirth

When you hear the word ambulance, what comes to mind? Most often, we think about car accidents, serious injuries, heart attacks, and other harrowing life events – but what about one of the most exciting moments in life? What about childbirth?

Ambulance services play a major role in providing lifesaving care for pregnant women around the world. In fact, studies show that reliable transportation to health facilities during labor improves health outcomes and prevents death. A report by Jomo Kenyatta University and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) stated that most maternal deaths could be prevented if all women gave birth in a health facility with trained professionals there to help. Many traditional birth attendants agree, as described in this Capital News article. Having access to a formal medical system during childbirth can be lifesaving.

Transportation to hospitals during childbirth improves health.

Why, then, do so many women give birth outside of a facility? The answer is a loaded one with many issues at play. A key reason is lack of transportation – many women do not have a reliable way of getting to the hospital. The Coalition on Violence against Womeninterviewed women in rural parts of Kenya on their childbirth experiences. These women described the most common reasons for giving birth away from a facility. One woman mentioned that it was too far for her to walk. Another said that not “having a well-equipped mobile ambulance with all the equipment for deliveries” was an issue. In both cases, lack of transportation was described as a major barrier to care.

In 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta began providing free maternal and child health services in public hospitals, covering all out-of-pocket labor and delivery costs. This was a step in the right direction. However, areport from the National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development stated that “most women (42%) have little choice but to give birth at home because of lack of transport.” In other words, many women still deliver at home, because they are unable to access the free care available to them.

Rescue by Flare is here to help!

By providing quick, reliable transportation to facilities, we aim to improve maternal and child health in Kenya. Our goal is to reduce the time it takes to access medical care, as well as make emergency care accessible to everyone – including women and children during the most important moment of their lives!

Over the last year, we reduced time to facilities by 63%.

More time in a facility not only gives women and families peace of mind. It saves lives. Are you pregnant? Do you have friends or family members who are pregnant or who have small children? Join Rescue and assure that your loved ones receive the best care possible!

An individual or family membership to Rescue by Flare will assure that you and your baby are covered during the most important moment of your lives. If you are already a mom or a soon-to-be mom, use the promotional code NBOMOMS for a special discount. Breathe easy during your last few weeks of pregnancy knowing you have Rescue on your side. Go to https://rescue.co or call us now at 0714-911-911.

About us

Rescue is brought to you by Flare Emergency Response Services, an emergency response technology company that works with different providers in Nairobi to put the best emergency responders onto the same map. In an emergency, when every second counts, you should not be looking through over 80 different phone numbers. You should be able to call just one number to reach the closest ambulances.

Through its innovative tracking and dispatching systems, Flare is able to see real-time, and with real-time traffic estimates, the closest ambulances to you and your fastest route to care.

Our dream is that world-class emergency response will be readily available to all of us. At Flare, we work with only the best providers, ensuring you arrive to receive the best care with minimal wait times.

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When you hear the word ambulance, what comes to mind? Most often, we think about car accidents, serious injuries, heart attacks, and other harrowing life events – but what about one of the most exciting moments in life? What about childbirth? Ambulance services play a major role in providing lifesaving care for pregnant women around

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